Lionel Messi and Alexia Putellas win Ballon d’Or awards
- Lionel Messi won the men’s Ballon d’Or for a record seventh time.
- Alexia Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or.
- The ceremony was organised by France Football where the best men’s and women’s players were judged.
Men’s and Women’s Ballon d’Or awards
- Alexia Putellas became the third winner of the women's award for an outstanding season with Barcelona and Spain.
- The 34-year-old Messi led Argentina to the Copa America title after losing in four major international finals.
- Messi finished with 613 points to top prolific Bayern Munich and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski on 580.
- The 2020 awards were canceled because the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the season.
- Putellas helped Barca win the treble and scored 26 goals in 42 games overall.
- The midfielder netted in the Champions League final against Chelsea, and she was named UEFA women’s player of the year.
- The only previous women’s award winners are Norway striker Ada Hegerberg in 2018, and U.S. forward Megan Rapinoe in 2019.
- Putellas tallied 186 points to finish far ahead of club and country teammate Jenni Hermoso on 84.
- Messi, meanwhile, counts two more Ballon d’Or awards than longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who was sixth in the voting.
- Cristiano Ronaldo finishes outside the top three in the Ballon d’Or for the first time since 2010.
- Messi's staggering tally of 672 goals for Barcelona included an extraordinary 50-goal league season in 2012; 96 league goals across 2012 and 2013; eight Spanish league and six Champions League scoring titles.
- In other awards, the Kopa Trophy for the best under 21 player went to 19-year-old Spain and Barcelona midfielder Pedri.
- Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski won the “Striker of the year” while Italy stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma clinched the best goalkeeper award
- Chelsea won the best club award.
Ballon d’Or 2021 Winners:
- Ballon d’Or (Men): Lionel Messi (PSG/Argentina)
- Club of the year: Chelsea Football Club
- Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
- Ballon d’Or (Women): Alexia Putellas (Barcelona/Spain)
- Striker of the year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich/Poland)
- Kopa Trophy for best young male player: Pedri (Barcelona/Spain)
About Ballon d’Or Award
- Awarded by France Football magazine, the Ballon d’Or has been given out to men every year since 1956.
- Between 2010 and 2015, the award was temporarily merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year (founded in 1991) and known as the FIFA Ballon d'Or.
- But the partnership ended in 2016, and the award reverted to the Ballon d'Or.
- Whereas FIFA also reverted to its own separate annual award The Best FIFA Men's Player.
- In 2007, the award became a global prize with all professional footballers from around the world being eligible.
- Stanley Matthews of England was the inaugural winner of the Ballon d'Or.
- Lionel Messi has won the award a record seven times, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with five.
- Lev Yashin is the only goalkeeper to win the award.